


The Long-ass Winter

by improbabledicks (Strawberry_Hill)



Series: Vaguely-Related Domestic Snippets [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Domestic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-27 23:11:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2710121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberry_Hill/pseuds/improbabledicks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi hates the cold. Erwin makes the winters bearable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Long-ass Winter

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos on my last fic! This next part is post-college, when Erwin and Levi are in a long-term relationship and have moved to a colder climate for Erwin's job. You can still read it as a standalone fic, though. 
> 
> You can check out my eruri sideblog at [improbabledicks](http://improbabledicks.tumblr.com/).

It began every morning at six, when Erwin had to force himself out of bed, shivering, to turn up the decrepit heater in their apartment. It clanked ominously in the darkness before starting, blasting hot air into the space. 

Relieved that the heater had chosen to live another day, Erwin padded back into the bedroom, past the bundled up lump in the middle of the bed, to turn on the old floor heaters in the bathroom. As they steadily began to bring the temperature in the bathroom above freezing, Erwin took a moment to gaze out the tiny bathroom window, groaning when he saw the fresh snow that had fallen overnight. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy a good cold spell, but Levi tended to make winters difficult. Which wasn’t something Erwin discovered until they’d moved to a place with real seasons. He didn’t mind, though, and since it was his fault they’d had to move, he’d gladly taken it upon himself to make Levi as comfortable as possible during the long winter months. 

With the bathroom warming, Erwin went to start up the hot water in the shower. He winced as icy water sprayed onto his arm, wiping it off on a towel. The water always took forever to heat up, so he let it run while he got other things ready. 

Next was the clothing—Levi always laid out his clothes for the next day, which Erwin gathered and took to their little laundry closet, throwing them in the dryer on low to warm them. 

Now came the hard part. Erwin returned to the bedroom and crawled back onto the bed.

“Levi,” he murmured, stroking the lump of blankets. 

He was answered with incoherent grumbling and a slight shifting of the blankets. 

“I know you’re awake.” 

He carefully tugged at the blankets, not cruel enough to completely throw them off the bed. 

“Come on,” he coaxed, managing to get an arm under the blankets to wrap around Levi. 

Levi twisted, resisting, but Erwin got a good grip on him and pulled him out from under the blankets. He tucked Levi against his chest as he sat up, rubbing his back and feeling the shivers already beginning to wrack his small body. 

After a moment, he set Levi on his feet, catching a few muttered swears, and pushed him towards the bathroom before he could scramble back under the warm covers. Erwin had learned quickly not to just drag Levi out of bed and leave him there, expecting him to cross the cold room to the bathroom on his own volition. 

Levi stood in the middle of the bathroom, shivering, as Erwin adjusted the water temperature in the shower. When it was hot enough for Levi’s liking, he turned to Levi, helping him strip his pajamas off quickly. Levi quickly stepped into the shower, groaning as the hot water hit him. Erwin folded Levi’s pajamas and undressed himself before joining him under the water. 

The shower was a bit cramped with both of them in it, but they made it work. Erwin scrubbed himself down while Levi hogged the hot water, grumbling when Erwin had to rinse off. They washed each others’ backs, and Erwin took the time to shampoo Levi’s hair. Levi leaned his head appreciatively into Erwin’s hands as strong fingers massaged his scalp. Erwin got out and dried off as soon as he was done, leaving Levi to stand under the spray, still trying to warm up. 

Levi eventually shut the water off, stumbling out of the shower and taking the towel Erwin held out to him, wrapping it tightly around his shoulders. While he dried off, Erwin shaved, occasionally wiping at the fogged-up mirror. When he was about done, Levi padded over to him, inspecting his face. He clucked his tongue disapprovingly and stole the razor away from Erwin, carefully swiping it over the spot Erwin had missed. Satisfied, he wiped the excess shaving cream off Erwin’s face, turning his head with slender hands to check his work. Erwin kissed him in thanks before slipping out of the warm, humid bathroom to put the kettle on and grab the clothes out of the dryer.  

When he returned, Levi was dry, his hair tamed, and no longer shivering. He accepted the warm clothes with a small smile, and Erwin tucked a stray lock of Levi’s hair back into place before going into the bedroom to get dressed. Levi emerged from the bathroom just as the kettle started to whistle, quickly padding down the hall and into the kitchen to attend to the tea and make breakfast. 

They ate mostly in silence, Levi occasionally stealing raisins out of Erwin’s oatmeal.

By the time Erwin left for work, their apartment was acceptably warm and Levi was sipping his tea at his laptop as he perused a client’s site specifications, bundled in a soft, thick cream-colored sweater he’d stolen from Erwin.  

* 

Their apartment was dark when Erwin returned that evening, Levi’s work desk illuminated in a pool of light. Levi was curled up in his chair, poring over some code.  

“Hey,” Erwin murmured, looping an arm loosely around Levi and pressing a kiss to his temple.  

Levi swatted him away. 

“You’re cold,” he grumbled, pressing a hand over the spot Erwin had kissed.  

“Sorry.”

Erwin started dinner soon after that, deciding to make French onion soup. The kitchen began to warm as the soup simmered, and Levi wandered in, no doubt attracted to the heat, wrapping his arms around Erwin from behind. 

“Long day?” Erwin asked as he stirred the soup.  

Levi pressed his forehead to Erwin’s back.

“It was all right. One of my clients is an idiot. Nothing new.”

Erwin turned, engulfing Levi in his arms. Levi hummed appreciatively, resting his cheek on Erwin’s chest. 

When the soup was done, Erwin ladled it into bowls while Levi sliced the bread. They arranged the bread on top and heaped on the cheese, sliding the bowls under the broiler. Levi hovered by the warm oven while Erwin set the table.

They talked about potential weekend plans as they ate, Levi perking up when Erwin mentioned hot springs. Afterward, they ended up curled on the couch together to watch TV, Levi wrapped in blankets.  

The evening passed quickly, and before long, Erwin was sliding off the couch to start preparations to go to bed. He changed into pajamas, grabbing Levi’s and throwing them in the dryer. 

“Time to get ready for bed,” Erwin announced, approaching the couch. 

Levi gazed at him narrowly from his nest of blankets. Erwin sighed, bending down to disentangle him. Levi resisted, and Erwin eventually just pulled him off the couch, blankets and all, to drag him to the bathroom.  

They brushed their teeth, Levi looking ridiculous still wrapped in his blankets. Erwin slipped out of the bathroom to switch on the electric blanket on their bed and get Levi’s pajamas from the dryer, turning down the heater on his way back to the bedroom. 

Levi laid out his clothes for the next day, changing into his pajamas at lightning speed and diving into the bed, wiggling until the covers had bunched around him. Erwin picked up the blankets Levi had left on the floor and folded them, going back to the living room one last time to drape them over the back of the couch. 

He turned the light off when he returned and slipped under the covers. As always, Levi immediately wiggled towards him until his back was pressed firmly to Erwin’s chest. Erwin curled around him, arm looping around his chest. Levi pushed his cold feet between Erwin’s calves before stilling. 

Erwin sighed, closing his eyes. Dealing with Levi during the cold months was demanding, but as Levi’s hand slid under his, slim fingers seeking the warmth of Erwin’s palm, Erwin took his hand, knowing there was nowhere else he wanted to be more in that moment.  


End file.
